Be Our Guest

 High passengers (high as in rich first rate accommodations -not as in doped up) can be a lucrative source of income for ships. freighting returns Cr 1,000 per displacement ton. A high passenger takes 5 displacement tons but generates Cr 9,000 or Cr 1800 per ton. In addition there is the oft overlooked phenomena of tipping that can generate a further 10%-20% of a ticket. Of course, freight can't get sick or make crazy demands out of the blue (usually). The following is a list of a few things that can go wrong ship the volatile commodity known as humans.

1- Sickness

    1- Sick guest. Travel exposes a person to all manner of new diseases. Immunization is not foolproof nor universal. Some diseases strike at inopportune times. In the more severe cases a guest may have to enter cryo sleep.. 

    2- Sick crew. A sick crew member is worse than a sick guest. Someone will have to double up doing their job as well as the patient. 

    3- Contagion. A particularly infectious disease manifests. Not necessarily dangerous, however, it will spread quickly if steps are not taken. This could ruin a luxury cruise or cause safety issues if crew can't do their jobs. 

    4- Medical Emergency. It can be a burst appendix or an injury. It can mean a crew or guest is down (and/or suing), or someone rides in a sleeping tube.

    5- Withdrawal. A guest or crew, addicted to a controlled substance, has run out. They may go to extreme lengths to take the edge off their withdrawal or try to hide it despite impaired ability and/or judgement. 

    6- Allergy. A guest or guests has a violent reaction to a plant or substance that is harmless to the rest of the ship's complement.

2- Contraband/Shady Deals

    1- Drugs (personal use). A guest or crew practices better living through chemistry -using a substance that is controlled by most planets. Having this onboard ship is a safety issue and may result in the impounding of the ship until it is cleared up and fines unless the captain disposes of it or turns the guest into the authorities.

    2- Drug dealing. A guest or crew is selling illegal substances to any and all. The safety issues are very real in this case and very extreme. This can lead to mandatory drug testing of crew and guests, and possible  impounding of the ship until the crew test 'clean'. A captain may face a review board and could lose their license or face suspension.

    3- Weapons. Traders usually keep a ship's locker, well stocked with sidearms and blades for hostile negotiations. They take a dim view of guests or even crew hiding their own hold out pieces. Again, it is a safety issue at best and may point to a hijacking or mutiny at worst. 

    4- Smuggling. Smuggling doesn't have to be in 13.5 cubic meter lots. Anyone can try to hide a few liters of something that is very valuable, and taxed or illegal on their destination. That's the case here. It can result in a patrol ship tearing a trader apart looking for the big score and delays.

    5- Wanted for crimes. A guest or crew is a fugitive from justice at their destination. A local (goundside or a fellow passenger) realizes this and wants them reported. The guest probably has a very good reason of braving the heat and may seem aid from the crew.

    6- Stolen data files. Data can be a very profitable commodity, whether it results in blackmail or illegally copying high tech designs without licensing them. The media is easy to conceal and can often result in a passenger being an agent charged with retrieving the data stick.

3- Insane Demands

    1- Private orgy! Some crew may be requested to provide entertainment or assist. 

    2- Public orgy -crew invited! As above but everyone takes a turn.

    3- Bizarre meal requests. For example: apex predator steaks, psi drug laden sauces, four clawed crab                 soufflé (wait we got those things running around the cargo deck!)

    4- Crew is tasked with being support on a hunt, on an 50 klick hike in an extreme environment (a vacuum world or class B atmosphere), or worst of all, the crew has to run one of those murder mystery dinners!

    5- Crew is tasked with looking after an adorable (hah) pet. The adorable;e part is very subjective. Why does that thing with all the pincers have a bow on it?

    6-  Guests require ship's vehicle for personal use. 

4- Violence

    1- After an argument, the primary guest kicks their roommate out of their cabin. With a full up ship, someone has to double up to provide a room for them.

    2- A domestic incident turns violent and a guest must be secured. 

    3- An argument between crew and a guest turns into a fist fight. This usually is after an Insane Demand. Usually crew will be isolated, requiring someone to do their job.

    4- A guest's smuggled body pistol is set off. Anti-hijacking measures are triggered (See what I did there). Optionally someone takes a bullet or a piece of equipment is damaged.

    5- A huge argument results in a mass reassignment of rooms while heading to the jump point. Moving so many people and baggage at once could conceivably put the ship a little off course for jump. Obviously the guest should just wait till the ship jumps. Hah!

    6- A guest's robot goes berserk and must be subdued and possibly repaired afterwards. This may result in anti-hijacking measured being triggered or an injury to someone.

5- Local problems

    1- A guest is a prominent crime lord taveling under an alias. They are targeted. 

    2- A guest is running an illegal gambling game and the locals want to grab them.

    3- A guest is kidnapped! People traveling are rich, right?

    4- The guest is a voice arguing to reform local politics and obviously doesn't care what the government or law code is!

    5- The guests intend to hijack the ship!

    6- A guest is a saboteur working for a competing outfit or pirates!  

6- Crew problems

    1- Crew member is insubordinate. They disrespect superiors or at least their immediate superior. this might be treated easily enough ('We're docked to a station and powered down. Why am I watching the jump drive all night?")

    2- Crew member does not work well with others. They disrespect everyone. See above. 

    3- New member is incompetent. This can be a direct result of a sick or injured crew. the noob might be very unaware they know nothing (Dunning-Kruger Effect is still a thing). they might be doing their best, faking it till they make it and merely need a little mentoring.

    4- Crew member is disorderly in port, giving the ship a bad rep or being arrested. Obviously a navigator or pilot will be bailed out and lectured. Crew that can be replaced easy enough maybe be replaced (it's easy enough.) Most planets levy fines or time served for offworlders who tend to never return. 

    5- Crew member parties too hardily onboard ship. They're suddenly way tooooo friendly. Note this may result in wild fluctuations of a tip but t is always ill advised.

    6- Crew member is a member of a criminalized minority (psionic, cyborg, android passing for human).

Denouement

Depending on the crew's services (Ahuh!) guests may be grateful or just plain shitty. Current yacht crews make 5-10% of the charter cost for a weekend cruise on a mage yacht. A high passenger might be expected to cough up Cr. 500-1000 per week of travel. Jerks might go as low as Cr 100. The referee should decide, making a reaction roll with modifiers for service. Bear in mind not all cultures tip. Some passengers who were helped put of a rough spot might also become local contacts or allies.